What did ya do...

Those were the days before child proof anything, so quickly learned not to stick things into electrical outlets....lol.... At around 12 we were already camping out in the swamps or island hopping the marshlands or floating down the rivers.....learned early if it didn't require a cast or more than 10 stitches you could " shake it off" ....lol....and if it did require a cast or more than 10 stitches then that was a badge of honor to shows all your friends.....staying at home alone......walking to and from school.......and, oh yeah, trick or treating...lol
I see trick or treating fading away quickly. It is now the days of trunk or treats in parking lots or Fall Parties with prebagged goodies. No fun.
 
I see trick or treating fading away quickly. It is now the days of trunk or treats in parking lots or Fall Parties with prebagged goodies. No fun.
I know, at 12 we were trick or treating until midnight all over the neighborhood, by ourselves....its a shame the world is so different now...
 
Grew up on a farm bordered by miles of timberland. During the summers, my siblings and cousins would disappear into the woods with just a jug of Koolaid and some bologna sandwiches, maybe with our fishing poles and not be seen again until dinnertime.
The scariest thing I remember us doing was jumping our bikes off cliffs into the creek. No helmets, no padding, no lifevests... just ride as fast as you can down the hill and jump. It's a miracle we all survived!
 
As a sidenote, we all had dogs, big farm and hunting dogs. If anyone or anything like a cougar or bear would have messed with us, our dogs would have set them straight. Mom taught our labrador to find us by name. You could be a mile deep in the woods and our dog would show up with a note on its collar. "We have to leave for the dentist by 2. Get home and get cleaned up."
 
As a sidenote, we all had dogs, big farm and hunting dogs. If anyone or anything like a cougar or bear would have messed with us, our dogs would have set them straight. Mom taught our labrador to find us by name. You could be a mile deep in the woods and our dog would show up with a note on its collar. "We have to leave for the dentist by 2. Get home and get cleaned up."
You need dogs living in the bush,I've got eight atm and we don't have the dangerous wildlife you have there, apart from pigs and heaps of deadly snakes.I'm dreading the spring snake season,I've lost all but one of my good hunting terriers to them,and that's in the house yard.
 
I know, at 12 we were trick or treating until midnight all over the neighborhood, by ourselves....its a shame the world is so different now...
It's not a big thing here,trick or treat,but I cant think of a more dangerous night for kids.I wonder how many kids have not come home after an innocent night gathering lollies.
 
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Drove without seatbelts. Jumped my bike over my sister (hey, she was willing!), rode in the bed of a speeding pick up truck, and went out to the woods to build forts without a worry.
Yep did all of those. We rode our bikes miles away from home, swam in whatever water hole was nearby ( no floatation devices), climbed trees, and raced cars on back roads. We grew up country in every way.
 
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Used to sneak out onto the roof,
Amused ourselves with a home- made air rifle, which was a length of pipe, fridge compressor, washing machine valve, switch as a trigger..and sights. Reached 60-70psi - stored in a plastic coke bottle. This thing ruined our fences with pieces of bolt, but was more fun firing dried peas which used to spiral 30 feet before shattering on impact. Fun that was until my brother shot me with it. Fortunately just a pea, but still had to be dug out. Oh - and it was a 240v live supply.
With the application of a few caps in various small munitions this thing could punch holes in steel plate.
Chemisty sets. Real chemistry with some quite toxic stuff, and some that was more fun I'd rather not talk about. Made rocket propelled things like a roller skate and a boat when part of the road was flooded, and quite a lot of smoke of various colours.

Going looking for conkers. Most kids would use a stick to knock them down. I used a grappling hook.

Boyish things. diy crossbow, diy flamethrower. diy forge melting and casting lead and aluminium. diy go-cart.

My brother was more into electronics, so was interested in high voltage projects like building a tesla coil. Fortunately lasers weren't around then.

A few things in the scouts that may be considered dangerous today. Winter hikes where our water bottles froze solid overnight and were fighting off hypo. - Before the days of having a mobile phone for backup. Exploring caves and on the mountains just as a patrol.
I think you win the prize. I feel like a wimp in comparison lol. Your poor ma! You must have scared the hair off her head lol. What is a conker? I just had to ask lol.
 
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Those were the days before child proof anything, so quickly learned not to stick things into electrical outlets....lol.... At around 12 we were already camping out in the swamps or island hopping the marshlands or floating down the rivers.....learned early if it didn't require a cast or more than 10 stitches you could " shake it off" ....lol....and if it did require a cast or more than 10 stitches then that was a badge of honor to shows all your friends.....staying at home alone......walking to and from school.......and, oh yeah, trick or treating...lol
Its amazing we survived ! Lol.